Adapter for loose leaf binders



Se t. 14, 1937. cs. 5. EMERY 2 ADAPTER FOR LOOSE LEAF BINDERS Filed Aug. 24, 1955 gmw V wzyedflhezy Patented Sept. 14, 1937 UNITED sTA Es PA TE This invention reIates'to looseleafbinders and more particularly to means for converting a single post type of binder into a double-post type.

An important object of the inventionis to provide an extens'ion member, which 1 term an adapter, capable of being slipped or sprung over the end of a bottom cover of the single post' type of binder and designed to cooperate with the conventional structure thereof to allow its reconstru'ction into a binder of the double-post or single post type of binder and through openings in the adapter so as to retain these parts in rigid association. I

The invention has for a further object to provide a double-post type of unit in which the arcuate connector joining the two complementary posts of a unit is hinged to one of the posts so as to have its end raised from and lowered onto the other post, and carrying a spring detent engageable within a socket in the latter post to impositively retain the connector against accidental retracti on.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailedudescription of a preferred form .of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows a binder including an adapter constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 -2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view ,of the adapter detached from the bottom cover of a binderiand Figure 4 is a fragmentary view .of the upper end of one of the posts showing the complementary end of the connector coupled therewith. H

The binder shown in Fig.1 comprises a bottom cover I having one end associated with an adapter 2 upon which is mounted two double-post units 3. Thebottom cover I is of, the type which is supplied with conventional single post binders, that is binders in which a plurality of single post retainers are located crosswise of thecover in lieu of a plurality of. correspondingly. located double-post or-inverted-U retainers, this cover being formed with a transverse ledge 4 reinforcing one end of the margin thereof and provided with a plurality of holes 5 for receivingthe posts or rings 'of the binder; Theseholes are provided at'difierent distances-apart corresponding to the 'spafcingintervals between perforations of preperforated sheets' which have becomef airly well standardized in thetrade, at least in the case of binders'marketed by the more prominent manu facturers of stationery supplies. The-adapter 2 comprises a sheet metal casing composed of a top "face 1 and a bottom face 8 bent upon an arc 9 so that the'bottom face extends under the top face. The top face is provided with 'downturn'ed flanges l0 which cl'ose the-*sidesiof the casing, and the bott'om'facet terminates in an upstanding lip' ll. Mounted upon the top face I are two transversely'spacedapart posts l2 each constituting onexelement'o'f a double-post binding unit and these posts maybe built up of a series of individual post sections l2a. As shown A in 2 each post section comprises around cylindrical element having a screwthreaded stud projecting from one end and 'an internally "threaded socket: formed itsother end whereby the stud of one post section may be screwed into the socket of the subjacent' section. The base post section has its stud projected through an opening in the upper face 1 of the adapter and is secured in place by a nut l3. I

Similarly the other post of each doublepost unit is composed of .a series of'post sections Ma identical with the post sections l2a, except that the .base post section isprovided with an elongatedstud l5 passing through the post opening 5 in the cover @I I andthrough registering openings in thetop and bottom faces'of the adapter and being screw threaded upon its projecting lower end to receive a clamping nut It.

By the construction just described theadapter 2 carrying the post llm'ay be teles coped over the enlarged end of the cover l until the lip ll snaps cover the inner edge of I ledge 4. [The elongated stud I5 of the base post section of each double-post'unit is thenpassed downwardly through the hole in the, cover and the nut l6 engaged therewith to firmly clamp the adapter to the cover.

Surmountingthe top of post 12 is a post section I! threadedly engaged at its lower end within the socket of thenext lower post section, and

being bifurcated at its upperend. One leg of the arcuate shaped connector 18 is; terminally fiattened and hinged upon a pin l9 extending, between the arms of the bifurcated end of this post section. This permits the connector l8 to be swung about the pin l9 as a fulcrum to raise the opposite leg of the connector from the top of post [4 which it normally contacts. The latter post is provided at its upper end with a post section 20 threadedly united with the next lower post section Ma and having formed in its top a socket 2| designed to slidably receive a pilot 22 carried on the end of the connector.

The pilot is provided with a spring detent 23 comprising a steel wire passedthrough a transverse opening 24 in the pilot and having flexible laterally projecting portions 23a designed to bear against the sides of the socket and retain the 1, connector against retraction. The inside of the socket'2l may be roughened or formed with screw threads to offer additional frictional resistance to the withdrawal of the pilot therefrom.

It will be obvious that the adapter may be con-' structed in a different manner from that described above, an important characteristicof the invention being that an end of the adapter extends beyond the corresponding end of the cover to which it is affixed whereby the post holes originally provided in the covers of conventional single post binders may beutilized as a means for attaching a post of a double-post unit in a manner such that the sheets associated therewith do not project beyond the lower end of the cover.

If desired a top cover of any suitable type may be associated with the double-post units so as to protect the uppermost sheets of the stack. While the adapter is designed as an article of manufacture apart: from the cover with which it is adapted to be assembled, manifestly the cover and adapter 'may be marketed as a complete binder. Other changes in mechanical details may also'be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

V 1. An adapter designed to convert binders of the single post type into binders of the doublepost type, comprising a casing adapted to telescope over the binding edge of a cover so as to extend substantially the length of said edge, said casing having a plurality of transversely aligned holes formed therein adapted to register with pre-formed holes in the cover, a plurality of posts rigidly supported upon said casing and complementary posts having portions adapted to pass through'the aligned holes in the cover and casing and to serve to fasten said adapter to the cover. Y

2. An adapter designed to convert binders of the single post type into binders of the doublepost type, comprising a casing adapted to telescope over the binding edge of a cover so as to extend substantially the length of said edge, said casing having aplurality of transversely aligned holes adapted to register with pre-formed holes in the "cover, a plurality of posts-rigidly supported upon said casing, an arcuate shaped connector hinged, to the top of each of said posts, and complementary posts having portions adapted to be projected through the holes in the cover and casing and providing sockets upon their upper ends for the reception of the ends of the connectors. i

3. A loose-leaf binder comprising a cover having a plurality of holes formed therethrough adjacentone end-and an adapter mounted upon said end of the cover, said adapter comprising a sheet metal casing composed of an upper face and a. lower face connected thereto, said faces engagingopposite sides of the cover and projecting a substantial distance beyond the cover, a plurality of upright posts supported upon the casing and located beyond the end of the cover,

complementary posts arranged in alignment with the first-mentioned posts lengthwise of the cover, said complementary posts extending through the casing and the holes in the cover and fastening the adapter to the cover, arcuate-shaped connectors hinged to the first-mentioned posts and having ends adapted to be received in sockets formed in the complementary posts, and spring detents carried upon the ends of the connectors receivable in the sockets and impositively retaining the connectors against withdrawal therefrom.

4. A loose-leaf binder comprising a cover having a ledge at one end extending between the side margins of the cover and a plurality of holes passing through the ledge between its upper and lower surfaces, an adapter completely enclosing the end of the cover including the ledge, said adapter comprising a sheet metal -casing having upper and lower faces embracing the uppersurface of the cover and the lower surface of the ledge respectively and projectingasubstantial distance beyond the cover, flanges united with the upper, face of the casing closing the sides of the casing, a-lip formed upon the terminal of the lower face engaging the inner wallof the ledge, a plurality of upright posts mounted upon the upper face of the casing and located beyond the end of the cover, complementary posts arranged in alignment with the first-mentioned posts lengthwise of the cover, said complementary posts extending through the casing and the holes in the cover and rigidly fastening the casing to-the cover, arcuate-shaped connectorshinged to the firstmentioned posts and having ends adapted to be received in sockets formed in the complementary posts, and spring detents carried upon the ends of the connectors receivable in thesockets and withdrawal therefrom, said sockets being interior;- ly roughened, r I s 5. Anfadapter designed to convert binders of the single post type into binders of the doublepost type, comprising a casing adapted to tele-' scope over the binding edge of a cover so as to extend substantially the length of said edge, said casing having a plurality of transversely aligned holes corresponding to the spacing of the posts and adapted to register with preformed holes in the cover, a plurality of posts'rigidly supported upon said casing, and complementary posts adapted to pass through the aligned holes in the cover and casing and to serve to fastensaid adapter to the, cover, saidpairs of posts being composed of sections each comprising a stud end. and a socket end of complementary form to receive the stud of an adjacent section, arcuate shaped connectors hinged to the upper ends of the firstmentioned posts and having ends adapted to be received in sockets in the socket ends of the complementary posts, spring detents carried upon the ends of the connectors adapted to enter the sockets and impositively retain the connectors against retraction therefrom, and a terminal lip upon said adapter designed to engage an abutment upon thelcover. p

6. In a binding device designed to convert .a binder of the single-post type in which a flat cover'memb'er is provided adjacent, one of its transverse edges with a pair of upright posts mounted. within openings in the cover member into a binder of the double-post type in which the-( 9V?! member is provided adjacent one of its 40 impositively: retaining the connectors against transverse edges with a plurality of double-post units each comprising a pair of upright posts connected at their tops by an arcuate bridging member, the combination with said cover of an adapter designed to be fitted over one end of the cover and form an extension thereof, said adapter having a top plate and a-bottom plate connected along a marginal edge so as to retain the plates in spaced relation and said top and bottom plates being designed to engage corresponding faces of the cover member, a pair of laterally-spaced vertical posts supported upon the top plate adjacent one transverse edge of the adapter and providing unobstructed columns to permit perforated sheets to be associated in stacked relation thereon, said top and bottom plates both having aligned holes therein adjacent the opposite transverse edge of the adapter and said holes being transversely spaced apart corresponding to the spacing of the posts and designed to coincide with the openings in the cover member, a complementary pair of posts extending upwardly through the aligned holes within the plates and parallel to the first-mentioned pair of vertical posts, and arcuate connectors carried by the first-mentioned pair of vertical posts capable of being moved into and out of bridging engagement with the upper ends of the pair of complementary posts to permit the shifting of the perforated sheets carried thereby from one pair of posts to the other.

GEORGE S. EMERY. 

